Post job

Teaching assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a teaching assistant. Teaching assistants usually study psychology, biology, or chemistry. 70% of teaching assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 145,047 real teaching assistant resumes to see exactly what teaching assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for teaching assistants are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.

There are also many online teaching assistant courses to help get the education required to be a teaching assistant.

There are certain teaching assistant certifications that you should consider. These teaching assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Clinical Research Assistant.

What education do you need to become a teaching assistant?

What degree do you need to be a teaching assistant?

The most common degree for teaching assistants is bachelor's degree, with 70% of teaching assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 70%
  • Master's, 16%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a teaching assistant?

You should major in psychology to become a teaching assistant. 12% of teaching assistants major in psychology. Other common majors for a teaching assistant include biology and chemistry.

Most common colleges for teaching assistants

Teaching assistants often get their degrees at University of California - Davis, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Brigham Young University. Here are the most common colleges for teaching assistants in the US based on their resumes.
Teaching assistant common collegePercentages
University of California - Davis7.55%
University of California, Santa Barbara7.06%
Brigham Young University6.53%
Pennsylvania State University6.34%
Purdue University6.17%

Best majors for teaching assistants

RankMajorPercentages
1Psychology11.9%
2Biology10.1%
3Chemistry7.8%
4Electrical Engineering6.6%
5Mechanical Engineering6.6%

20 best online courses for teaching assistants

Advertising disclosure

1. Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online

coursera

Whether you have already taught English as a Second Language and want to start teaching it online, you've already been teaching ESL online and want to sharpen your skills, or you are new to teaching and interested in teaching ESL online, ASU and VOXY provide you with the basic ideas and concepts you need to know in order to successfully teach ESL online. This course uses a fun and interesting theme of "International Travel" to deliver content in an entertaining way. There are also plenty of...

2. TESOL Certificate, Part 1: Teach English Now!

coursera

Demonstrate basic foundational principles, recognize second or foreign language learning theories, and design and plan lessons to teach English as a second or foreign language effectively.\n\nThis specialization is the first of two specializations that make up the TESOL Certificate from Arizona State University. In this specialization, you will learn about the basic foundational principles of language acquisition and the basic techniques founded upon those principles. It will describe second or...

3. TESOL - Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages

udemy
4.6
(418)

Teaching Skills and Classroom Management...

4. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom

udemy
4.3
(442)

Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...

5. Teach English Now! Lesson Design and Assessment

coursera

Learners will be introduced to designing lesson plans based on principles and knowledge of learning objectives, assessment plans, methods, materials, and learning activities. Learners will find and prepare appropriate teaching materials through careful analysis, adaptation and creation of professional resources. Learners will also reflect on the cohesion between lesson design and teaching philosophies...

6. Teach English: Intermediate Grammar

coursera

This specialization is for ESL teachers and future ESL teachers who want to make their classes more effective and fun. You will learn how to use online videos and activities that ESL teachers at University of California, Irvine created to teach intermediate ESL learners. You will review language-learning pedagogy and best practices for using these resources effectively. This specialization will give any ESL teacher loads of creative ideas for their classrooms...

7. Teaching with Google Classroom

udemy
4.9
(1,234)

Learn how to create, use, and teach creative, memorable lessons using Google Classroom...

8. Become a Virtual Assistant

udemy
4.5
(1,223)

Live Free. Work Virtually. Virtual Assistant Training...

9. Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning

coursera

The Foundations of Teaching for Learning programme is for anyone who is teaching, or who would like to teach, in any subject and any context - be it at school, at home or in the workplace. With dynamic lessons taught by established and respected professionals from across the Commonwealth, this eight course programme will see you develop and strengthen your skills in teaching, professionalism, assessment, and more. As you carry on through the programme, you will find yourself strengthening not...

10. TEFL Essentials: Teaching English as a Foreign Language

udemy
4.5
(1,125)

Includes reusable TEFL teaching materials Suitable for CELTA preparation...

11. My Google Classroom: Google Classroom Made Easy to Beginners

udemy
4
(368)

Master Google Classroom: Discover How to Successfully Setup and Start Teaching With Google Classroom in Minutes!...

12. Organic Chemistry: Spectroscopy Master Class

udemy
4.6
(362)

Gain confidence in NMR (1H and 13C), IR, and MS with guided practice problems...

13. Skills Upgrade: Teach Business English (Language Teaching)

udemy
4.3
(298)

Improve teaching skills; learn business English; be more in-demand; & earn a higher salary. For teachers and students...

14. Virtual Assistant: Find, Hire, Train, and Manage

udemy
4.6
(507)

Work smarter, not harder: Learn how to win the war against Entrepreneurial Overwhelm with virtual assistants...

15. Virtual Assistant Training, a Complete Guide: Work From Home

udemy
4.4
(358)

Rock Star Virtual Assistant Training: Create an online business + become a freelancing virtual professional in any field...

16. Chemistry 101 - Part 1 Principles of Chemistry

udemy
4.3
(414)

An introductory course for anybody who wants to study chemistry - either towards future pathways or just for fun!...

17. Executive Travel Planning for Virtual Assistants

udemy
4.6
(412)

Manage flights, hotels, and car services for corporate travel like a pro! PLUS travel changes during a global crisis...

18. Become a Calculus 1 Master

udemy
4.8
(10,442)

Learn everything from Calculus 1, then test your knowledge with 600+ practice questions...

19. Teacher Training - How to Teach Online - Remote Teaching 1Hr

udemy
4.6
(1,390)

Crash Course! Learn to Teach Online. Coronavirus Has Now Made Online and Remote Teaching a Necessary Teaching Skill...

20. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

udemy
4.4
(876)

Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

Average teaching assistant salary by education level

According to our data, teaching assistants with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $49,487 annually. Teaching assistants with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $47,860.
Teaching assistant education levelTeaching assistant salary
Master's Degree$47,860
High School Diploma or Less$39,798
Bachelor's Degree$42,320
Doctorate Degree$49,487
Some College/ Associate Degree$40,571

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse education, training, and library jobs